The Ocean
by Aria Tyler
Summary: Aria thinks she is just an average run-of-the-mill 14 year-old orphan. But when her only friend is adopted and she decides to run away, fate smiles on her, and things slot back into place again...
1. Aria

Chapter 1

Walking down a path running parallel with the beach, whilst reading a book and skill fully dodging people coming towards her at the same time, was a fourteen year old tom-boy by the name of Aria. Glancing up every now and then to keep track of where she was walking, she made her way to one of her favourite spots she visited all the time. Aria folded down the corner of the page she was reading and closed the book as she reached a fence. Well it wasn't really a fence, more a bunch of wooden logs with a sign saying 'Do not cross' in front of it, but that never really stopped her before. With a quick look to make sure no-one saw her she jumped over the logs and ran through the tall, wispy grass that grew from the sand. Aria never really understood why no-one was allowed here, it was a beautiful place to relax. She finished crossing the sand and got down towards the glistening water, although she never even let her toes get wet.

She started to pick her way up a cliff to where she had made her 'hide-out'. There was a large gouge in the face of the cliff and pointed out to sea, making a small cave, it protected her against the harsh summer sun beating down. As she placed her book in the corner of the cave with things she had gradually left over time, like the pillow and sleeping bag that was always there in case she stayed the night, never worrying about anything because they wouldn't get wet, Aria moved forward to stare out to sea like she has every day for the past nine years. _The Ocean,_ she hated the ocean and was scared of it, never going in, although, she also found it beautiful and mysterious.

Aria was an orphan, thought to have been lost at sea in one of the most terrible shipwrecks in history. A warm salty breeze blew past her, one of the most memorable things of the local beach, and something of which she loved. Aria loved being outside and being active, walking, running and quite often skating, on a skateboard she was given by a friend one year for her birthday. She was never quite able to be still for very long, and constantly finding herself ending up in trouble. Aria often sneaked out from the orphanage when no-one was looking. As she tucked a stray piece of dark brown hair behind her ear, she tried, like she did everyday, to piece together what happened. As she stared out to ocean, memories started flashing in her minds eye, she could remember very little about who she was or where she even came from.

One memory she had that she could only just remember, were certain features of two people, one, a woman with dark brown hair like hers and brown eyes filled with defiance and anger, but also kindness and care, and a man, with golden hair, a warm smile on his face and his _eyes_… his eyes were haunting, from what she could remember he was young, he looked early thirties, but his eyes seemed to betray him. His eyes seemed like the ocean, dark blue like hers, but they could be calm one moment, then seem to hold all of the oceans fury the next, also showed age, far beyond what a human could live, and seen horrors one could only begin to imagine. _Ha_, what was she thinking, who ever he was, he was certainly human, and to show that was the love he showed for the woman standing next to him with her arm around his waist. The memory was like a photo of a moment in time, caught forever.

But that was the only happy memory she had of whoever those people were, because after that all she remembered is the people's screams as fire burned through the ship or were thrown overboard into the icy cold winter water. She can remember being woken from her sleep but she can't see who it is because it was pitch black, but she could tell the voice was that of a man, she was only five at the time so her memory the events are not that great either. After that the next thing she remembers is a loud explosion to the right of her and being thrown over as whoever was holding her jumped out of the way, but she fell out of their grasp and slid across the wet deck. Their was another explosion and a lot of screaming, she had knocked her head on the ground as she landed and was slowly starting to lose consciousness, she can just recall someone calling out her name in vain as she slipped off the side of the boat as it capsized and also fell into the merciless, icy-cold depths of the ocean and finally lost consciousness.

The next thing after that is when she woke up after being shaken awake by some lady taking an early morning stroll along the beach. The lady explained that she found her washed up on a beach. That was when she was brought to St. Thomas Aquinas' catholic orphanage; it was only small, three care takers and roughly twenty five kids. She was given food shelter and a basic education, although she was studying things far too advanced for someone her age especially in the Maths and Science areas, she was also forced to study and follow religion, but she never paid attention, just stared out the window until she was allowed to go. But still she was grateful for what she had been given; after all they took her in when she had nothing. _No, not __**nothing**_.

Something in the back of her mind reminded her, and instinctively her hand flew to her baggy plain blue shirt, not the _shirt _to be exact more what was underneath it, a silver key hanging from a chain. She had worn it ever since she could remember; she didn't have one single memory where it wasn't hanging around her neck. She was drawn out of her remembrance as she was shocked when she held the key in her hand that she could hear a faint singing in the back of her mind, like a beacon, calling. The song always seemed full of sorrow and longing, but often at times it would change to happiness or joy for awhile but never stopping its constant call for whatever was lost. It has always been there, forever, and she guesses will continue to be so until she dies, she was just shocked because it has been awhile since she has heard it this vivid, after all, today was the anniversary from when she was found washed up, battered, bruised and cold on the beach.

Aria looked out over the ocean again, once she stopped staring at her filthy, white (or more brown, now) skate shoes, and noticed the sun just starting to set over the horizon. How long had she been sitting there? Aria stood up to have her earlier question answered by the pain and numbness in her legs. Aria brushed the dirt off her also quite baggy, black shorts, and tightened the hair band that held all her long brown hair neatly out of her face, although it didn't stop her fringe that hung into her eyes from driving her insane. She picked up the book she was reading on the way over. And surprise, surprise it was completely based on space and science. As she started walking back to the orphanage she wondered where her nearly obsessive, (nearly? More like certain) fixation with space and the wonders that could be held past our solar system could come from. Just to find herself just as clueless as every other day.


	2. A Quiet Talk On The Beach

Chapter 2

"Tegan, could you pass me the laser spanner please?" asked the pair of stripy legs that were sticking out of the TARDIS console.

"So what do you think made the TARDIS behave like that Doc?" asked Tegan as she handed the Doctor the spanner.

"To be honest Tegan, I have no idea, it's almost like she was pulled to wherever we are, or she just went there herself." He replied, and jumped slightly as the TARDIS gave him a small shock, and grumbled a few words she wasn't sure she wanted the TARDIS to translate.

"So… where exactly are we again?" asked Tegan getting up to stretch her legs.

"I'm not sure Tegan, and I can't find out until I can check the monitors, once the old girl decides to let me!" he said then jumped again and gave a small growl as the TARDIS shocked him a second time. Tegan walked around the console looking at the buttons and dials, while trying not to trip over the Doctors legs, and stopped once she got to the door lever.

"C'mon Doctor just at least let me look around, I won't wonder off." She said pleadingly.

"Absolutely not! There could be dangerous killers right at the door ready to kill us straight away. We can't risk letting them on the TARDIS Tegan." the Doctor announces getting out from under the console to check a few dials and switches; to no avail. He took off his long beige coat and threw it on the ground; he rolled up the sleeves of his cricket jumper and shirt. With a groan he dove back under the console.

"Since when has that ever happened?" she muttered sitting back down

Tegan eventually got bored watching the Doctor tinker with the controls, so she stood up and went to the library. She walked in to see Turlough sprawled over a couch reading a book by the fireplace. Tegan sat on the couch opposite of him, and stared at him until he finally looked over the top of his book annoyed. "What do you want Tegan?" he growled

"Well…" said Tegan playing with her fringe "The Doctor is still playing around with the TARDIS and we've already been stuck here for three days. I'm gonna' go nuts if I stay cooped up in here much longer." Turlough looked up at her.

"And you came here to tell me because?"

"Because the Doctor isn't going to let me outside even to look around, mainly because he doesn't know where we are. So I figured I would go outside anyway, if he likes it or not, and I'm going to look around." She replied.

"Then why are you here bothering me, instead of actually being out there?"

"Hell's teeth, Turlough I came to ask you if you wanna' come, you moron."

Turlough looked up from his book one last time. "Okay. One: I am not a moron and two: why would I want to go looking for trouble on some alien planet, when I can stay here and comfortably read _in peace_? Besides when you get back you'll have an earful from the Doctor, since he said to stay in here."

Tegan stood up to leave and muttered "Yeah, silly me. Typical Turlough; lazy bloody git." She stormed towards the door and before she left Turlough yelled towards her.

"I heard that!"

"Lucky you!" replied Tegan and closed the door behind her.

When she entered the console room she couldn't see the Doctor, or more likely his legs anywhere. His coat wasn't on the ground where he left it. She took this chance to get outside before he came back.

When she closed the doors behind her she found she had stepped out into a small forest of head height grass which the TARDIS was hidden in. She parted the grass and stepped onto a beach. The sand looked silver in the moonlight. She looked around and behind her was a road with chip shops and the like on the other side. She looked back out to the ocean. "We're on Earth! The worst that could happen here is get harassed by a flock of seagulls!" she laughed, but then sobered again as she looked out over the ocean, the moonlight glinting off its calm surface, like a mirror.

"Tegan?" She turned around to see the Doctor walking slowly towards her. When he reached her she noticed that the usual glint in his eyes seemed to have disappeared.

"Are you okay Doc?" He looked at her then down at the sand, then out to sea, without saying a word, Tegan understood. She sighed "Oh, Doctor." Her body started to slightly tremble, as he took one step forward and gently engulfed her in a hug. They both silently sat down in the sand with Tegan in the Doctor's lap.

"Is this why you wouldn't let me come outside Doc? Did you know we were here on Earth?" Tegan asked. She had her head resting on his shoulder. He quietly nodded and rested his chin on her head as he held her tighter.

"It was my fault. All my fault." He said quietly. Tegan looked up at him and frowned.

"Don't ever blame yourself for that Doctor. It wasn't your fault." She said looking back out towards the ocean.

"No. It was. If only I held tighter, she wouldn't have fallen." His voice cracked on the last word, Tegan felt something wet on her face. She wiped her cheek and looked up at the Doctor, his eyes were screwed shut almost as if he were in pain, and he had a trail running down his face from where the single tear had fallen. "It's my fault we lost her!" the Doctor sounded angry now, Tegan knew he wasn't angry at anyone but himself. She reached up and wiped his face dry and brushed his golden fringe out of his eyes.

"It's no-one's fault, Doctor." She kissed him lightly on the cheek and he calmed down. They both sat wrapped in each others arms, for the first time in a long time, thinking and staring out to sea; both content to stay where they were for at least a little while.


	3. Words

Chapter 3

_Meanwhile…_

Aria sat upright on her bed quietly reading _another_ book when someone suddenly burst through the door. Aria yelled out in surprise and fell off her bed. She shared a room with her best friend Mitchell.

He had been there for seven years the second longest time anyone has stayed, Aria being the longest having been there since she was five, making nine years. She had seen so many kids come and go she had never bothered to make friends but that coupled with the fact most kids were scared of her. Mitchell and Aria had been best friends since they laid eyes on each other.

Aria was the eldest kid at the orphanage; Mitchell was only one year younger than her making him the second eldest. The third eldest is nine, five years younger than Aria. The older you were the harder it was to get adopted. People wanted younger kids. She had been there since she was five but people never did adopt her. If she looked them in the eyes they always seemed to get frightened and leave her alone, so she never mad eye contact with people, but Mitch was the only person to ever look into her eyes and not back away. He has been her only friend to have ever stayed at the orphanage. She got up and walked over to him where he was madly going through his clothes and shoving them into his bag, with possibly the biggest grin she had ever seen on any humans face.

He stopped and looked at her when he noticed her staring at him like he was mad. He stared back at her with his short sandy blonde hair and his great big green eyes.

"What?" he looked down at his bag and then looked back up at her "Oh… while you were gone today I had an interview with some people looking to adopt. And they chose me! I'm going home, Aria." Aria turned around and sat on her bed with her head in her hands. Mitchell dropped his bag and sat on his bed next to hers and waited until she looked at him.

Aria _never_ spoke to _anyone_. Mitchell has been the only person she _willingly_ spoke to, even if it really was only ever a few words at a time. But even then she didn't really need to. He could tell what she was thinking by the looks on her face, its how she communicated with every one else anyway. But sometimes he thought he could feel what she was feeling, like some sort of link. One time he swore he heard her voice in his head. _Maybe that's how he could understand her, she didn't need to speak, she did it in the subconscious of his mind, and that's how he could tell what she was thinking._

Aria looked at him with a sombre look on her face. "I'm going to miss you too Aria." He said as he stood to sit next to her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders like they have done to each other so many times in the past. "Don't worry you will have a home eventually. Just you wait, eventually the two most perfect people for you will walk through those doors, and you'll be able to start your family again! How does that sound?" Aria stood up and turned to face him.

"I don't need a family. And no-one needs me." She said; finality in her voice.

Mitchell was startled not only by the fact she spoke but by what she had said. "Aria, you know that's not true." He shot back, but he knew otherwise, he couldn't see her as part of a family she never spoke and didn't like being around people. She preferred to be alone. This was probably because she had gotten used to people coming then getting her hopes up only to have them torn away again. She was perfectly alright alone. Aria was right. What would happen though if she got herself into trouble like she does oh so often? Then who would she turn to?

"I had a family now they're gone. I grew up alone. And I will continue to do so." She turned and picked up his bag off the ground and started packing more of his clothes in to it for him. He stood up and walked over to her, and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"I was there with you, wasn't I?" he said quietly. Aria stood up and turned to him. She zipped up his bag when she gave it to him, with a smile that confirmed a 'yes'. He walked over to his bed and pulled out a photo from under his pillow. He handed it to her. It was a picture of Aria and himself at his 11th birthday party. She had his hat on and it was too big so it sat crookedly on her head. They were both covered in cake due to the food fight and they had their arms around each others necks, with big, stupid, goofy, grins. She closed her eyes for a second, and then turned to Mitch with a determined look on her face.

"Uh oh, now what have I gone and done." He could tell he's helped her make an important decision, according to the look on her face. "You better not be planning on doing anything stupid, Aria." She smiled at him.

"No. I think this may be the smartest thing I will ever do." She said quietly, with a smile on her face. "Mitch, without you, there is no reason for me to remain here. I have the job of the paper routes, and I earn just enough money to be able to buy food and stuff. Until I can get a proper job, that is. I'm going to leave." Mitchell looked at her like she'd lost the plot.

"Aria, I said don't do anything stupid." He feigned seriousness but he knew that there was no stopping her now, so he laughed. "Where are you going to stay?"

"I have my places Mitch. Don't you have some where to be right about now?"

"Yeah, but they can wait a few more minutes, after all I've had to wait seven years. Speaking of which I think that this must be the most you've spoken in one single day for as long as I've known you." They headed towards the door that leads to the hallway.

"Yeah well, I figured, since this is the last time I'm ever going to see you, I thought what the hell!" Mitch stopped as they opened the door and he grabbed Aria by the shoulders "Don't say that, I will see you again! I promise." He pulled Aria in for a hug and she awkwardly returned the favour, considering he was crushing her spine.

They got to the front doors where every other person that was at the orphanage had been waiting. And they walked out the front doors and down the steps where Mitchell's new parents were waiting, in the pink/orange light of Dusk. Aria watched as he put his things in the boot of the car and turned to wave one last time. Before Mitchell stepped into the car Aria yelled out "Mitch!" everyone gasped and turned to Aria, most only hearing her speak for the first time, she ignored them as she looked into his green eyes for the last time. In Mitchell's mind he heard her voice _"Thank you, for helping me. Good luck Mitch."_ Mitchell's jaw dropped, and she smiled at him sweetly before turning back inside to pack _her_ things.


	4. A Strange Meeting

Chapter 4

Night had _just_ fallen and everyone was in the dining hall eating dinner, Aria pictured everyone saying grace and laughed at the thought of every time they closed there eyes to do so she just started eating anyway. She didn't believe in Catholicism, she believed more of the science theories than religion. She had her skateboard –_that Mitch got her_- and was going as fast as she could with two bags, one slung over each shoulder, to get away from the orphanage and on to freedom. She had her key still hanging around her neck, never taking it off, and the picture that Mitch gave her in her wallet in her back pocket. Yeah, she used a wallet. Purses were too girly for her liking.

When she reached the fence she jumped off her skate board and flung it into her hands, and ran through the tall grass, it was very disorienting running through this grass because it was taller than her. It was also harder at night. She was almost clear of the grass until she ran face first in to something big, flat and hard. She fell backwards. When she sat up, she was dazed and looked up to see in the silvery moonlight something big and _blue. _Suddenly the singing in her mind started so loud that it was hurting her head and the key around her neck seemed to grow hot. But she wasn't scared. Her body didn't let her be scared, by this big mysterious box that made her head hurt and her key burn her. All that she could make out was the fact it was square and wooden, through the pain in her head, Aria decided to find out what it was tomorrow and stepped through the last bit of grass out on to the sand grateful when the noise died down and the key stopped burning her chest.

She was finally alone and she let her eyes sweep the beach that was now her home, and devoid of any people. Wait, no, there were two people down near the shoreline next to where she _has_ to start to climb the cliff. _Great!_ she thought _Now I won't be able to get any peace and quiet tonight while these two are here. They'll no doubt be asking me what I'm doing all night._ Aria tried as quietly as she could to climb up the cliff from a different point but only to slide down and cut and graze her hands and legs.

Tegan and the Doctor heard the sound of falling rocks and stood up to survey the area. When they saw someone stand up and seemingly brush themselves down. They decided to see if they were okay. When Tegan and the Doctor reached the person they seemed to be inspecting their palms. On closer inspection the person looked like a young teen-age girl.

"Hullo, I'm the Doctor. Are you all right?" The girl let her hands drop to her sides and her bags and skateboard fall to the ground, but still kept looking at the ground. The Doctor crouched down to her eye level "Hello?" Aria looked up into the man's eyes and felt a cruel sense of pleasure when he fell backwards in shock, then looked away again. She was so used to seeing people do that now. She didn't know what was so scary about her eyes. Mitch could look at her. "Um… I'm the Doctor pleased to meet you." The Doctor held out his hand and Aria returned the shake. He grimaced when he felt something warm and wet meet his hand. The Doctor grasped her wrist before she could pull away and he pulled a hand torch out of his pocket with the other. Aria was wondering how he could fit a torch in such a small pocket.

He inspected one hand and then the other and turned to the woman standing behind him. "Tegan, could you go get me the first aid kit from the med bay please?" Tegan nodded and went to fetch it. Aria watched her walk into the long grass and frowned

"You have cut your hands badly, so I'll sort them out for you." The Doctor smiled at her and she smiled the same back but still had not spoken and she didn't plan to do so now. "May I ask, what your name is, young lady?" Aria still hadn't looked him in the eyes again but she frowned when he called her young lady. "Oh, so sorry. I guess you don't like being called that. And I guess your refusing to tell me your name?" Aria nodded her head in agreement.

The Doctor sighed and sat down on the sand. Aria did the same except sitting on her skateboard. "Do you like the ocean?" Aria frowned and shook her head. He got the impression she hated the ocean. She tried to look at the Doctors face but he was sitting so the moonlight shadowed his face. "You are wearing boy's clothes?" Aria shrugged as an answer. Yet again the Doctor sighed "Can you speak?" Aria nodded "Will you speak?" Aria shook her head.

He was about to ask another question when Tegan came up behind him and handed him the fist aid kit. The Doctor stood up and walked over to inspect Aria's hands, but he dropped her hands when he saw that all the cuts and grazes were gone, only dried blood and dirt remained. He looked at Aria; she had an amused smile on her face. The Doctor took a step backwards, and looked into her eyes. There was something about her eyes that seemed so familiar. "Will you let me?" Aria didn't know what he wanted so she shrugged an agreement. She flinched when he stepped forward and placed his fingers on her temples. Suddenly she felt him trying to enter her mind. She made a noise like something akin of a growl and barred his way in.

While he was still in her mind she sent him a feeling of pain as she threw him out of her head. The Doctor let go of her and gasped and clutched his stomach as the feeling of pain temporarily coursed through him. Tegan gasped and held his shoulders as he was hunched on the ground in pain.

"What did you do?" Exclaimed Tegan. Aria shrugged and gave Tegan a cold look as she flung her bags over her shoulders and picked up her skate board and made her way up the proper path to reach her 'hide-out' in the cliff face. Tegan watched her, then turned back to the Doctor when she disappeared from sight. Tegan slowly helped him stand up, as he winced from his sore stomach muscles when they cramped through the pain.

"How on Earth did she know how to do that?" muttered the Doctor.

"What? What did she do?" asked Tegan.

"She barred my way into her mind then sent me packing and with pain as a parting gift. She threw me out like I was someone who had no control what so ever with what I was doing. She's good. But what I also want to know is how the cuts on her hands healed so quickly." The Doctor explained

"So you don't think she's human?"

"No, she is human Tegan, I would have noticed otherwise when I was in her mind, it may have only been a few seconds but that's more than enough time to tell."

"You said she was good enough to bar your way in and throw you out, how do you know she wasn't hiding what she really is?" asked Tegan. He looked up the cliff, and clapped his hands together.

"Only one way to find out Tegan! How do you feel about popping in for a visit?"


	5. Revelations

Chapter 5

Aria dropped her bags and skateboard in the corner and pulled out her pillow and sleeping bag from the pile. She picked up an oil lamp she took from the orphanage one day and turned it on next to her. She found a book she was reading from another day and continued from where she was. Aria wasn't surprised to find the Doctor and his friend Tegan eventually climb up the cliff. She didn't look up from her book, just continued reading. The Doctor and Tegan walked in he sat down quietly near her feet and waited for a moment trying to think of something to say.

He finally thought of something.

"What planet are you from?" he blurted out. Aria let her book fall flat against her stomach and gave him a look to say 'what are you on about?'

"You're an alien aren't you?" he asked calmly, Aria quickly shook her head.

"Please just talk to us; we need to ask you a few questions. We'll leave you alone after." begged Tegan. Aria sighed and sat up.

"You wont leave me alone if I don't speak will you?" Tegan and the Doctor both shook their heads. "Fine, ask away, and then _leave me alone_."

"Thank you. First question; how did you heal your hand so quickly?" the Doctor asked, truly not knowing for once.

"Seriously? No idea. I've always been able to do it. Just happens automatically." She replied. The Doctor nodded his head.

"Second question; why are you here, in this cave?"

"That, I'll answer later." She said quietly.

"Third question; where did you learn to use psychic abilities like that?"

Aria thought about his question for a moment and how to answer it.

"In my mind, there is this singing, sad, scary, haunting, beautiful and often full of joy and happiness. One day I was in the middle of town when the singing was exceptionally loud in my head, I could feel this sort of energy flowing from the music into my body. I concentrated on this energy and suddenly I could hear all the thoughts of the people around me in my mind. I learnt how to put up barriers to stop hearing things but often when I was around lots of people the thoughts would get through, so I would put up stronger barriers. Then I learnt how to talk to people and send my feelings and such. That's why I don't talk, because I can do that. But there were barriers in your mind, so I didn't say anything at all."

The Doctor sighed and leaned back using his arms to hold him up.

Tegan looked at the Doctor "So what are you thinking Doctor?"

"I don't know yet Tegan, it's still a complete mystery to…" the Doctor trailed off as he noticed Aria staring intently at him. He raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Sorry for staring but you seem so…_familiar_… but I can't seem to place it." The Doctor shook his head and asked his last question.

"Okay, last thing, you still haven't told me your name or why you're in here."

Aria groaned "Do you just want me to tell you my whole bloody life story?" she said sarcastically.

"No need. I can do it much quicker if you'll allow me." Aria understood what he meant, although she was only joking he took it seriously, but she was reluctant to let him because she has never told anyone about her past and those few memories she has before the orphanage.

She gave up and decided to let him see it and let her _get it off her chest,_ metaphorically speaking. She shuffled forward and sat on her knees facing him, and the Doctor sat the same way. He placed his fingers on her temples, and entered her mind. The Doctor started from today and went backwards. He saw Mitch leaving, he heard parts of the conversation they had earlier, and found out why she was in the cave, he found out her name was _Aria_. He had a daughter called Aria once; he saw random parts of her memories until he came to where she was found on the beach, when she was five. He stared disbelievingly it was _her_, _they_ looked the same, he saw things from a third person point of view –special Time Lord trait- just to make sure, he went back just a little bit more.

_The Boat_.

He was shocked out of his trance, by what he'd learned, only to find Aria staring back in exactly the same manor.

"Y-you c-can't… NO!" the Doctor stood up and pointed his finger at Aria "This is just a trick! You're not real. You can't be!" By this time Tegan had jumped up and grabbed hold of his shoulders. Aria jumped up and yelled at him "You're not him … that means, Tegan is… NO way, this is not happening, it's a dream… no, nightmare. I DON'T KNOW!" Aria grabbed her skateboard and ran down the steep cliff doing the best she could to not slip into the ocean. Once she reached the tall grass, she heard the singing again, it was trying to calm her down, she refused to let it do so.

She ran through the grass past the box and back onto the footpath, she went as fast as she could back to the safety of the orphanage, of _Mitchell_. She stopped, Mitch wasn't there anymore. She didn't know what to do so she slowly turned and walked back towards the beach.

"Doc, what was all that about?" asked Tegan slightly dazed by all the yelling. The Doctor was sitting slouched against the wall with his arm resting on one of his knees, staring into nothingness.

"The boat. I saw it all again. Aria." His voice was filled with guilt and pain. Tegan froze on the last word and she slowly sat down next to him she wrapped her arm around his shoulders. The Doctor leaned into her resting his head on her shoulder and he closed his eyes trying to forget what he just learned, and saw. To painful to remember.

"Theta." The Doctor looked up at Tegan "Was it her? Really?" she asked softly. The Doctor nodded a reply "Hell's teeth, then what are we doing sitting here? C'mon get up we've got to find her Doc!" she said. The Doctor smiled and stood up.

"That's my Tegan, always keeping me on my feet!" he said. They made their way down the cliff to the beach.

Aria had just come through the grass and walked out onto the beach when she saw the Doctor and Tegan coming towards her, she continued walking forwards until they were merely meters apart, they all stood silent waiting for the other to start first. Aria looked at the Doctor his golden hair seemed silver in the moonlight and his eyes glistened, Tegan's constant frown looked more intimidating than usual and her skin seemed to shine.

She looked at Tegan "Mum?" Tegan smiled and nodded, she looked at the Doctor "Dad?" He smiled and she ran into his open arms, she sobbed into his chest for a while. When he collapsed down onto the sand and held her as tight as he could, trying to make up for when she slipped out of his arms on the cruise liner and over the deck. She stood up and gave Tegan a bone crushing hug "I don't know what to say."

The Doctor looked Aria in the eyes "I do." Aria gave him one of her quizzical looks that she uses when she's not talking "Aria, I'm so sorry-" Aria cut him off.

"-Don't be. It wasn't your fault." The Doctor gave a small chuckle.

"You sound like your mother." He pulled both Aria and Tegan down into the sand.

"Are you ready to go to your new home Aria?" asked Tegan as they brushed the sand off themselves. Aria pulled the Doctors coat closer around herself. She had gotten a little bit cold by the surprisingly cool summer breeze blowing off the sea.

"I don't know; there is someone I need to see before we go home."

"Who?" the Doctor asked quietly. Aria reached into her back pocket and pulled the picture out of her wallet and handed it to him. "Ah, yes that young lad. Nice fellow. You're lucky to have him as a friend."

"Tell me about it. Wait how do you know him?"

"Do you know where he is?" Tegan asked preventing the Doctor from answering.

"No. That's the problem, he didn't tell me where he lives now."

"How sure about that are you?" the Doctor asked "He seems to have made sure you remember where he lives." The Doctor was inspecting the back of the photo, where Mitch had written his address.

"Can we see him?"

"Tomorrow. It's too late now. I don't think his new parents would be too pleased if they have his friends knocking on their door all hours of the night." He replied.

"So where do you live?" questioned Aria.

"You wouldn't happen to have seen a big blue box while walking through the grass would you?" asked Tegan.

"WHAT! You live in that small box?!" she asked, incredulous

"Don't worry Aria, it's bigger than you think!" the Doctor laughs, seeing at the expression on her face.

The singing grew louder in her head, and her key started burning again as they approached the blue police box.

"Okay Aria, the key around your neck, use it in the lock." The Doctor said loudly, noticing she was having trouble hearing anything. She nodded and pulled the key out and inserted it in the lock. She turned it until it made a satisfying 'click'. She gingerly pushed the door open and stepped inside. The singing grew louder than ever then suddenly went quiet again as she took her first step back into the TARDIS. She gasped when she walked in. She had forgotten what the TARDIS was. She had a mild case of amnesia from the concussion she gained when she hit her head on the boat. "Aria, welcome home. This is the TARDIS. Time And Relative Dimension In Space." He said as he followed her through the door.

"This is a space ship?" she asked disbelievingly.

"Yes, and a time machine too." Tegan added.

"I live in a time travelling space ship?" She said her mouth agape.

"Catching flies Aria?" asked the Doctor as he walked past. She shut her mouth and shook her head.

The Doctor had shown her to the kitchen to get a glass of water when she came across Turlough who was drinking a cup of tea at the time.

"Oh, hello there. Hired a new recruit have you Doctor?" chided Turlough.

"Ah yes Turlough, this is my daughter Aria." Turlough choked on his tea.

Coughing and spluttering, he somehow managed to spit out a few words.

"Daughter? With who? How long have you been out there?"

"Tegan. We've barely been gone an hour Turlough." the Doctor answered. Turlough dropped his cup and looked like he was going to pass out.

"How old is she?" The Doctor looked down at Aria then back at Turlough, who was picking up broken pieces of cup off the ground.

"I'd say about fourteen? Am I right Aria?" She nodded in response.

"We lost Aria on Earth in an accident. It has been only three years for Tegan and I, but nine for Aria." Turlough's mouth was opening and closing like he was a goldfish.

"Okay, I'm going to bed now. Before my head explodes or something. Goodnight Doctor. Goodnight Aria."

"Goodnight Turlough." The Doctor calls as Turlough leaves the room. Aria didn't say anything she just nodded curtly in response. Turlough left the room.

"What's the matter Aria? Why didn't you speak?"

"To be completely honest; the guy scares me."

"You are so much more like your mother every minuet it's scary. But yes, to be honest at first I thought Turlough was a bit weird too." He chuckled.

"Would you like me to show you to your room now?" the Doctor asked, showing Aria the way.

"Yes please… Dad" she answered with a smile. The Doctor smiled too when she called him 'Dad'. He led her down the corridors and to her old room. He opened the door for her, and she gasped. She walked in and looked around, her old room was the same as when she was little but the TARDIS moved all the stuff from when she was really little somewhere else. She looked on her bed and laughed "Leo?" The Doctor nodded and picked up the little lion teddy sitting next to her pillows.

"You used to carry him every where with you." the Doctor said quietly, looking at it. Aria walked over and gave her Dad a big long hug. After they let go he lay her down in her bed and pulled the covers over her once she kicked off her shoes. He leant over and kissed her goodnight, before he turned and closed the door, the TARDIS obligingly turned down the lights.

Early the next morning, Aria found herself standing in front of Mitchell's new house with her new parents behind her. She knocked on the door and it was Mitch who answered it.

"Hello?" said Mitch tiredly.

"Jeez Mitch, your habits haven't changed here either! Not much of a morning person are you?" Said Aria with a grin.

Mitch looked up, "Aria?!" he launched himself onto her giving her the biggest hug he could muster. "It hasn't even been twenty four hours and already you've come for a visit? Do you really miss me that much?" he said jokingly

"Yeah, about that… you said I just needed to wait and the perfect people for me would walk through those doors. And you were right, although I think I stepped through their doors. " She stepped to the side so he could see the two people behind her "I would like to introduce you to my _real _parents. Tegan and the Doctor." Mitch's mouth flapped open and closed for a while. When the Doctor reached forward to shake his hand, he muttered into Aria's ear "Look, he's doing a Turlough." Aria stifled a laugh before continuing

"Mitch I'm leaving for awhile and I might not be back for a _long _time so I decided to come say bye now." Aria leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. Mitchell went pink. She gave him one of her most famous smiles and walked back down the path leaving Mitchell dazed and a _little_ bit red.

Life on the TARDIS went back to normal for the Doctor, Tegan and Turlough. And Aria's life took a whole new turn for the better. Things were brilliant until one day where an unfortunate turn of events occurred that involved the Master capturing the Doctor, a gun with enough power for one last shot and Aria _literally _jumping in at the last minuet and taking the last shot in the place of the Doctor. But because she was half Gallifreyan she regenerated. But when she did, she was five years old again just like before they lost her on the ship. Her eyes were no longer the cold hard ocean blue, but soft warm chocolate brown like Tegan's. Her hair changed to the same colour as the Doctors. Although her personality did not change what so ever. The Doctor missed being able to have _as _long conversations about all the scientific stuff that went into flying the TARDIS, but he was glad he was able to have a second chance at seeing her grow up again. If you were to ask Aria what she thinks of her life now, she would simply smile at you and say nothing. After all it was Aria, and there are no words in any language in the universe that could fully compare up to the feeling of being _home _with your perfect _family_.

The End


End file.
